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currently at UC Santa Barbara on exchange- just wondering which resort u reckon is most bang for your buck when going with mates who aren't that serious (it'll also be our first time at either resort). we're going during valentines weekend- not sure if that changes anything apart from lift lines
any tips/advice for going out, food, accom, rentals (shops to rent a nice pair of whips), etc would be appreciated. - cheers fam
You cannot really compare the two. Mammoth is one of the best mountains in North America. It has great steeps, consistent snow, a good park......
Big Bear is much smaller. It has a park, but Mt. Baldy has much better terrain if you are down south.
My wife and I go to Mammoth at least two weekends a month. We usually try to get a day in down south on the weekends we don't hit Mammoth. We usually go to Baldy if we are going to stay south, as it has much better terrain. That being said, if the people are not all that experienced Big Bear is easier than Baldy. It has better groomers, it is really more of a resort than Baldy.
Mammoth is about 6 hours from UCSB. I went to UCSB and was on the club ski team, so I was at Mammoth every other weekend. I don't know how far it would be to Big Bear, but it is not all THAT close to Santa Barbara, probably 3 hours. If you are going to stay overnight Mammoth is WAY better, but it is also more expensive, I'm assuming you guys don't have Ikon passes. If you do go to Mammoth, I would try to stay somewhere with good shuttle access to the hill and the village. You don't have to stay in the village, but you want to be able to take a bus to the slopes and the late night trolley back from partying. We rarely go out late when we are there, so I can't give too much advice, but the late night trolley is pretty cool. I would think lodging in Mammoth would be far more expensive than Big Bear, but I don't know details. We have a ski lease in Mammoth that we rent all winter, so I don't know what rates are like. I would imagine Valentine's Day weekend would be pricey.
Here is map with some of the shuttle lines. Parking can be a nuisance, so I would really recommend using the shuttle.
https://www.mammothmountain.com/transportation/free-mountain-shuttle
I absolutely love Mammoth, skiing wise you really can't compare it to bear/summit, but it is more expensive and farther away.
Considering that weekend is also President's weekend, Mammoth is going to be pricy. There are blackout dates for that weekend on the ikon and day tickets are much more expensive--that being said, many people don't ski these days because their ikon is blacked. I went up for MLK and it was the shortest lines so far. Perfect spring skiing and park is dope up there. If you're on a budget, go to bear, still will be a good time. But I'd send it up to mammoth
Mammoth=Bette
Big Bear=Cheaper
That being said there is a ton of park at Big Bear so if that's your thing I would recommend. 99% snowboarders tho :/
Also that being said, if you go to Big Bear I would highly recommend staying at Eagle's Nest Bed and Breakfast. It's ran by a super nice older couple in this cute little cabin. Good food in the morning, tons of complimentary snacks and drinks, comfy beds, and endless amazing DVDs you borrow for the night if you want to watch movies. Great place. Also very affordable, around $100 a night for a room.
There are about 10 rental places to get skis/boards. My gf rented skis, boots, and a helmet for 2 days it was around $70.
nfordConsidering that weekend is also President's weekend, Mammoth is going to be pricy. There are blackout dates for that weekend on the ikon and day tickets are much more expensive--that being said, many people don't ski these days because their ikon is blacked. I went up for MLK and it was the shortest lines so far. Perfect spring skiing and park is dope up there. If you're on a budget, go to bear, still will be a good time. But I'd send it up to mammoth
I could not believe how empty MLK was. I was basically walking onto the upper gondi, which I could not believe. With the base Ikon being blacked out those weekends are now much less crowded than before. We were able to lap the upper gondi and 23 with tiny waits. The lines on the weekends surrounding the blackout weekends suck now.
I had a great trip to Central Asia to China. Mostly various hills and mountains. The beauty of these places is can't be explained. I felt myself an ant comparing to the majestic mountains. When you see this kind of nature you forget about your concerns like job and daily routine. Traveling in Asia I was always curious what eats a panda and once I saw a snow leopard somewhere in the leaves. I actually remembered that they eat pandas. Pandas are so shaggy and clumsy. How someone could eat them? However, I caught a photo of the snow leopard and I felt kinda of myself. I hope you spent your time great in the resorts.
**This post was edited on Jan 20th 2021 at 6:31:56pm
Hey fellow gaucho here. I usually do day trips to bear pretty regularly just since it’s closer but everything outside of the park kinda sucks. Mammoth is def a lot better for all mountain type of stuff but obviously a long drive.
BTW if you’re not already in the GroupMe for the snow club shoot me a DM. Always looking for new homies in CA to mob with.
carlosSsI had a great trip to Central Asia to China. Mostly various hills and mountains. The beauty of these places is can't be explained. I felt myself an ant comparing to the majestic mountains. When you see this kind of nature you forget about your concerns like job and daily routine. Traveling in Asia I was always curious what eats a panda and once I saw a snow leopard somewhere in the leaves. I actually remembered that they eat pandas. Pandas are so shaggy and clumsy. How someone could eat them? However, I caught a photo of the snow leopard and I felt kinda of myself. I hope you spent your time great in the resorts.**This post was edited on Jan 20th 2021 at 6:31:56pm
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